Fair and Equal Michigan
Fair and Equal Michigan Ballot Campaign Launch
Goal: Amend the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act
Action Plan & Communication:
After 37 years of failed attempts to include LGBTQ people in Michigan’s civil rights law, the Fair and Equal Michigan campaign had assembled a coalition of business groups, advocacy organizations and political leaders necessary to launch a statewide ballot campaign to finally amend the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act.
Martin Waymire served as the campaign’s media relations director, and oftentimes spokesperson. Our goal with the campaign launch was to immediately go on the offensive by garnering the broadest possible coverage while also demonstrating the overwhelming support the campaign had right from the start. Our strategies and tactics included:
- Prep campaign spokespersons and advocates prior to launch to ensure they are prepared to reinforce the campaign messaging in interviews with reporters.
- Provide an embargoed press release and conduct media briefings to key political print and radio reporters prior to launch.
- Hold a news conference showing the broad diversity of support for the campaign. This included democrats, republicans, business leaders, religious and community leaders, etc.
Evaluation:
The campaign was covered in 193 individual state and national news stories, with an estimated reach of 210 million online views. Opposition voices were only covered in one political insider news outlet (MIRS Newsletter).
Key publications covering Fair and Equal Michigan’s campaign included:
- Michigan Public Radio (NPR)
- Associated Press
- Detroit Free Press and statewide Gannett publication distribution
- Detroit News
- MLive.com
- Crain’s Detroit Business
- Off The Record
